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Railways

Could trains be renationalised?

Under a Labour government the UK's rail services would be re-nationalised as each private franchise expires, fares would be freezed, driver-only trains would have conductors again and free wifi and good mobile reception would be promised across the network.

But Adam Hurrell, a commuter who regularly uses Gloucestershire's train network, dismissed the plan as "nonsense" as it would take decades for the franchise contracts to expire.

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He said: "It's completely unworkable. What the railways actually need is security and investment, not this insecurity brought about by this socialist fantasy.

"It doesn't make any difference who's running it - it has to make enough money to cover cost or be reinvested.

"It's not realistic government planning for the 21st century. It will take decades to enact and it's just a rose-tinted socialist fantasy."

Royal Mail

Royal Mail

Labour have pledged to bring the Royal Mail back into public ownership and repeal what it describes as the 'horrific mistake' of the Coalition Government to sell it off.

The Government undervalued the worth of the Royal Mail and taxpayers lost out £1billion when it was sold, the Commons Business select committee concluded.

And Ian Trehearne, secretary of the Communications Workers Union's Gloucestershire branch welcomed the idea of bringing the company back under public ownership.

He said: "It's a great idea for our members with the way the Royal Mail has gone since privatisation and hey way there are given more more work and more targets.

"The average walk for a postman now is between seven and 10 miles a day. They're working hard - for some of them it's up to five hours in the streets. they cover between 650 to 700 houses on each daily walk - five years ago it was 500.

"We're here to provide a service for everyone who lives in the city. That should only be done in a nationalised company."

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What's in Labour's plan?

Raise £6billion for the NHS by increasing income tax for highest earning 5 per cent.

Build at least 100,000 new council and housing association homes every year, and reserve 4,000 homes for rough sleepers.

Renationalise railways.

Scrap tuition fees.

Introduce an "immediate emergency price cap" on energy of £1,000 a year, and have at least one publicly-owned energy supplier in every region.

A ban on fracking, but continued support for nuclear power.

Scrap benefit sanctioned and the 'bedroom tax,' and restore housing benefit for under-21s.

Keep the triple lock on state pensions, and the retirement age at 66.

Remove the public sector pay cap.

A ban on zero-hours contracts.

Bolster trade union rights and appeal last year's Trade Union Act.

Tuition fees

Labour says it would scrap tuition fees - which can now rise up to £9,250 per year at English universities, and create a 'National Education Service' which would be free at the point of need throughout life.

Jeremy Corbyn has previously said he would scrap tuition fees by raising either National Insurance for higher earners or corporation tax.

Megan Hester, who studies journalism at the University of South Wales, and Declan Flannery, who is a journalism student at the University of Gloucestershire, discuss the plans.

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Housing

Labour has pledged to build 100,000 new council and housing association homes a year, and provide thousands of homes for rough sleepers, and cap private rent hikes to be in line with inflation.

And the head of Gloucester's biggest housing association welcomed the plans.

Ashley Green, chief executive at Gloucester City Homes said: ‘We welcome an announcement from any political party promising more affordable homes.

Ashley Green

"In Gloucester there is a chronic need for more quality affordable housing , with over 4,500 people on the housing waiting list. It is important that those with lower incomes have access to high quality homes."